Discover the values that drive us
Above all, U2R is a family-owned company that is close to its employees and has built its history around humanistic values.
Over the decades, three key concepts have naturally emerged and deeply ingrained in its DNA: well-being, sustainability, and sharing. These pillars guide the teams in their daily decisions and actions.
Well-being
Employee well-being
As a socially conscious company, the well-being of the women and men who contribute to our development is our priority. To foster their fulfillment, we strive to provide the best possible work environment for our employees.
Because we aim to bring stability to our teams' lives, we have very few precarious contracts. We prefer permanent contracts (CDIs) over fixed-term contracts (CDDs) or temporary work. 84 out of 87 employees are in permanent positions. This virtuous approach not only fosters employee loyalty but also leads to remarkable individual stories:
- Jonathan, who has been with us for 20 years, started as a order preparer and then moved to sales administration and customer service. He is now a procurement manager.
- Valérie, who joined us 32 years ago as an accountant, now has the responsibility of managing the entire administrative personnel and customer collection.
- Hervé, who joined us as a turner 24 years ago, is now the production director.
- Isabelle, who initially worked as an order preparer, is now one of the managers in the logistics team.
We strongly believe in the virtues of professional fulfillment and upward mobility. We train apprentices and interns who, once their contract is completed, decide to stay with the company.
To ensure that everyone can grow professionally and advance within the U2R group, we also place great importance on access to training.
In the spirit of social justice and equality, we provide 100% of our staff with sickness and death coverage, with identical benefits for all employees regardless of their type of employment contract.
Similarly, all our employees benefit from reduced working hours (RTT) days.
Continuing our commitment to the well-being of our teams, telecommuting is now part of our practices. Thus, employees whose work is compatible with remote work are entitled to one telecommuting day per week, regardless of their status or contract.
On a lighter note, to promote camaraderie, team cohesion, and provide some entertainment for employees during their break time, we have installed a foosball table and a dart game.
Finally, Euralogistic, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), has launched the "Be Happy in Logistics" label aimed at measuring the quality of work-life in the logistics sector. Among other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and intermediate-sized companies (ETIs) in the Hauts-de-France region, we were selected to participate. Our supply chain was audited based on various criteria such as employability, organization, and well-being at work. Our results have allowed us to be among the first companies to obtain certification.
User well-being
As U2R is committed to a holistic pursuit of well-being, it is only natural for us to pay great attention to our users. From the very beginning, our products are designed to be ergonomic and to facilitate their work while preserving their health. Numerous examples illustrate this commitment:
- As a pioneer, CEDREY has always been highly vigilant regarding the risks of musculoskeletal disorders. Sanders, grinders, pneumatic tools - everything is designed ergonomically, even to the extent of offering products for both right-handed and left-handed users.
- We have redesigned the professional vacuum cleaner to protect the health of our users. Sold to various types of customers, some use it to vacuum hazardous materials such as wood dust, silica, or drywall dust. To prevent these harmful substances from entering the air and, ultimately, the body, we have developed highly efficient filters. This has allowed us to obtain the M certification, attesting that the vacuum cleaner retains 99.9% of the materials.
- Our vacuum cleaners are also the quietest on the market, emitting only 60dB of noise compared to an average of 70dB to 90dB from our competitors. Noise reduction efforts have also been made for our thermal products.
- When designing our high-pressure cleaners, we studied the curvature of the back to offer the most comfortable user experience possible.
- Most of our products (vacuum cleaners, pumps, high-pressure cleaners, etc.) have storage compartments for accessories. This facilitates their use and ensures that all parts are kept together.
- Our diesel tank is designed not to lose a single drop, thus preventing users from getting their hands dirty. This detail is not so trivial when it comes to regular use.
As design assemblers, it is because our primary mission is to understand the needs of users that we are able to respond to them with meticulousness and precision.
Animal well-being
Lastly, our products directly contribute to animal well-being. Serving farmers, we offer products designed to take care of their animals, such as:
- Our misting kits, also known as passive air conditioners, create a fine mist of water that can lower the temperature by up to ten degrees. This system also has the advantage of repelling flies, a constant annoyance for the animals. Cows, pigs, or goats are thus more relaxed, and the farmer can carry out their work in better conditions.
- Our various water treatment solutions (bacteriological or physico-chemical) tailored to the issues and needs of our users. Poor-quality water can have an impact on:
- The lifespan of equipment: water high in calcium carbonate can damage tools more quickly.
- Spraying: the amount of water sprayed is reduced when the water quality is poor. Treating the water allows for conservation of this precious resource.
- Animal well-being: if animals consume water containing bacteria over the long term, even in small quantities, it can have an impact on their immune system. It's important to note that a dairy cow can consume up to a hundred liters of water per day.
Sustainability
Within the U2R group, we embrace the concept of long-term thinking and prioritize sustainability. This value is reflected in all aspects of our company, including the longevity of our products, our vision, and our management methods.
Durable Products
Concretely, the concept of sustainability is embedded in our approach to product design. Our primary goal is to offer products that are both effective and durable. For instance, our motors are known for their exceptionally long lifespan and above-average efficiency. Some customers are still using our high-pressure cleaners purchased 35 years ago. This virtuous cycle contributes to the energy efficiency of our products, as they consume less energy and produce fewer pollutants.
We also focus on improving the repairability of our products. By displaying a repairability score out of ten, we inform users about the ease of repairing a product. This initiative aligns with our commitment to fight waste and planned obsolescence by encouraging the use of repairable products that can have their lifespan extended. To support this, all our products have exploded views, and all spare parts are available for ordering. We carefully ensure that a large portion of spare parts is consistently in stock.
In line with this approach, our after-sales service is now a profit center rather than a cost center. Our products come with a ten-year warranty, and in case of malfunction, our users do not need to purchase new products; they can maintain and repair their existing ones.
Sustainable Development
We have become aware of the climate emergency and the importance of taking action at our level to preserve our planet. While designing high-quality and durable products has been part of our DNA from the beginning, we believe that we can go even further. We have decided to take concrete steps by seeking certification. After considering various options, we have chosen the Lucie 26000 label for its rigorous standards. By adhering to its strict norms, we demonstrate the sincerity of our commitment with irrefutable evidence. The process is currently underway, and our goal is to obtain the certification this year, coinciding with the company's centenary.
Concretely, in our day-to-day operations, this commitment is already reflected in our practice of concluding every meeting with a question: Does this have an impact on the environment? If yes, is it positive? If not, what can we do to change that? This challenging exercise is essential to us as we strive to lead the transition we aspire to.
Furthermore, with a forward-thinking mindset, we aim to be active participants in addressing the major challenges of tomorrow. One such challenge is the scarcity of water. In partnership with the Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME) and the Chamber of Agriculture, we are conducting extensive research on this topic. We are particularly studying solutions for water runoff recovery, water conservation upstream and downstream, water treatment, storage, distribution, and ensuring its return to nature without pollution. Additionally, we are exploring the possibility of methane recovery for electricity generation instead of storing it in tanks.
Driven by our ambition for sustainable development and aware of our room for improvement, these examples are just the beginning of an enduring commitment to environmental preservation.
Sustainable Management
This notion of sustainability that is dear to us is also reflected in the intangible aspects of our century-old company. It is important for us to allow time for our employees to learn, integrate, and develop their skills. The quality of work is what matters.
This approach to time is also evident in the long careers that many of our employees have within our company. They have the opportunity to flourish and progress, with some individuals who started in the logistics department several years ago now working in sales administration, for example. We give our employees the time to evolve and grow at their own pace, based on their aspirations.
Lastly, sustainability is also demonstrated through familial succession. Initially within the Renson family and subsequently within the Chesnel family.
Sharing
It is imperative for us to be a fair company. All of our employees contribute to the development and growth of the company, so it is only natural for us to be in a sharing dynamic with them.
At our company, profit sharing is distributed based on the time spent rather than salaries, as is often the case in other companies. If they have been present for the same duration throughout the year, the employee with the lowest salary in the company will receive the exact same amount down to the euro as the employee with the highest salary in the company. On average, this represents between three to four months' salary for an employee or worker.
Continuing on the principle of fairness, our salary structure is designed so that the maximum gap is "three times". Therefore, no one can earn more than three times more than anyone else in the company.
This commitment to sharing extends to the governance of the company. We have put a lot of effort into establishing collective structures:
- A supervisory committee that oversees the company's strategy. It consists of the executive committee, a representative from major shareholders, and independent directors.
- An executive committee.
- A management committee where we gather all the company's executives every three months to share the results of the previous quarter, followed by an exchange workshop with diverse profiles.
Finally, we communicate a lot about our figures and news, both internally through our internal journal and externally. We are transparent about our successes as well as our failures, believing that this is how we make progress.